The Native Diver Handicap Grade Three
For Three-year-olds and Upwards
At a mile and an eighth on the dirt
Hollywood
Park
December 3, 2011
Purse $100.000
This was by far one of the most if not the most exciting races on Saturday. The Native Diver GIII was won by the seasoned campaigner Biggus Dikkus who was earning his first Graded Stakes win but that was not the real highlight of the race. The race was won in a fast time of 1:47:62 where the second place finisher was caught in a time of 1:47:63 and the third place finisher caught in 1:47:67, really close times for a really close finish.
The field got off to an even start and from early out the jock pulled Biggus Dikkus out of the front runners and into a closing, stalking position only two lengths from the front. The field was tightly bunched with Devils Den holding a narrow lead over a team of horses; Prevaricateur, The Machine and the lone three-year-old Please Wait. As they entered the back stretch the positions were unchanged until from the outside Please Wait made a move for the front but Devils Den still had enough left to hold him off. In between horses Prevaricateur and The Machine were still in with a chance.
As the field approached the half Devils Den still had his head in front but Biggus Dikkus joined the two front runners as they began to position themselves on the turn for home. Prevaricateur and The Machine were left at the back to fight it out for the minor share, back up front it was a head bob battle for these three runners, Devils Den on the rail fighting to get back the lead and Biggus Dikkus on this outside with the head advantage while in between horses Please Wait was running the race of his life.
At the top of the stretch Devils Den regained the lead and was on his way home and it appeared as though Biggus Dikkus was going to fade in the wind, Please Wait was still running strong but found the two older horses to be a challenge. A sixteenth left to run and Devils Den still had the advantage but out of no where Biggus Dikkus made one last bid for the win and lunged forward with him and Devils Den eye and eye to the wire, too close to call at the end. Please Wait was third but the winners were too close, at one point it looked like a dead heat but after the stewards analyzed the photo finish Biggus Dikkus out bobbed Devils Den for the win. The Machine and Prevaricateur closed up strongly but not fast enough and they had to settle for fourth and fifth respectively.
